Automatic clutch release for tractors



May 19, 1925. 1,538,417

. v. G.H.TRWTSHAUSER AUTOMATIC CLUTCH RELEASE FOR 'TRACTOHS Filed Oct.21, 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 mw jt H. TRIFTSHAUSER 1 AuTomA'r Ic CLUTCHRELEASE FOR TRACTORS Filed Oct. 21, 1922 I 2 snee'ts-sne'ei 2 PatentedMay 19, 1925.

Gnonen nanny irarrrsnnnsnn, or ATTICA, NEW YGRK.

AUTOMATIC CLUTCH RELEASE FOR TRAGTORS.

Application filed October 21, 1922., Serial No. 596,038. 2

I '0 all whom: it may concern.-

Be it known that I, GEORGE H. Tun rs- HAUSER, a citizen of the UnitedStates, re-

siding at Attica, in the county of Wyoming and State of New York, havelnvented a new and useful Automatic Clutch Release for Tractors, ofwhich the following is a specification.

This invention relates to tractors and more particularly to attachmentsfor, releasing the clutch on the rearing of the tractor.

The object of the invention is to provide a simple and efiicient deviceof this character whereby when the front axle and wheels of the tractorrise incident to the rearing of the tractor, the clutch will beautomatically disconnected and remain so until the front wheels of thetractor descend into normal position.

Another object is to provide a device of this character which does notin any way obstruct clearance, ispositive in action, and very simple anddurable and can be manu factured and sold cheaply.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as thedescription proceeds, the invention resides in the combination andarrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafterdescribed and claimed, it being understood that changes in the preciseembodiment of the invention herein disclosed may be made within thescope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of theinvention.

In the accon'ipanying drawings Figure 1 represents a side elevation ofportion of a Fordson tractor engine with this improved attachment shownapplied, parts being in section.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of one of the castings used in connectionwith this attachment;

Fig. 4 is an elevation taken from the inside of one member of oneof thefront castings; and

Fig. 5 is a side elevation thereof.

In the embodiment illustrated, a'tractor engine is shown at E and theclutch control lever or pedal at CP.

The attachment constituting this inven tion comprises a casting 1 forconnection with the crank case of the engine and a casting 10 designedto be mounted on the front axle A of the tractor. A cable 20 connectsthe axle casting 10 with the clutch Fig. 3 is a front elevation of saidcasting.

pedal CP, said cable being united with the pedal by a clip 21 andpassing over and around suitably located pulleys 22 23, 24,

25 and 26 which guide the cable and pret vent its binding when a pull isexerted .L 1 g thereon. The front end of thls cable is con. nected withan eye bolt 27 secured to the trunnion pin 28 which passes through thecasting 10 in a manner presently to be described.

The casting 1, designed to support the radius rod R, takes the place ofthe mounting'usually employed for this rod. This casting 1 has anupstanding shank 2 which lower portion of the casting is bifurcated 7and the fur-cations at and 5 have registering apertures for the passageof the radius rod R, said apertures forming in conjunction, a taperedbore 6, the larger end extending toward the front portion of the engineto provide for the rocking of the radius rod when the front axle dropsincident to the rearing of the tractor, as will be hereinafter morefully described.

A brace arm 9 cast integral with the casting 1 is secured to the enginecrank case to reinforce the castmg and hold it rigidly in operativeposition.

The front axle A is ordinarily connected furcated casting, the arms a.and a of which straddle the axle and are secured thereto by a trunnionpin which passes through apertures in said arms and in the axle. The

casting 10 which constitutes apart of this .95

invention and which'is designed to carry the trunnion pin 28, encasesthe arms a and a" of the usual axle casting.

This casting 10 is composed of two members 11 and 15 which areconstructed exactly and 13 which, when the members are as- 1 sembled,are designed to abut and which have bores let passing therethrough toreceive clamping bolts for securing the members in operative position.Between the arms 12 and 13 of each casting is a chamber or recess 16designed to receive the castings on the tractor which normally engagethe with the crank case of the engine by a bi- 90 axle and projectinglaterally from the side walls of this chamber are nipples as 17 which itin the apertures in the casting arms (Z and a where the trunnion pin isnormally applied and which retain the casting 10 from sliding downwardwhen the tractor rises. The lower ends of the members 11 and 15 areprovided with longitudinally ex tending slots aslS, through which thetrunnion pin 28 passes and which permits the pin to play therein whenthe tractor rises until it reaches a predetermined height.

The rising of the tractor when equipped with this attachment causes thefront axle assembly to lower until the upper ends of the slots 18 engagethe trunnion pin 28 and exert a pull on the cable 20 sufficient torelease the clutch. Immediately the clutch is released, the tractor willlower to its normal position.

From the above description it will be obvious that the clutch isautomatically released when the tractor rises apredetermined distance,preventing all possibility of the upsetting; of the tractor andconsequent injury to the driver and the machine.

I claim 1. The combination with an engine crank case having laterallyspaced depending arms, a casting carried by said arms and composed oftwo members designed to straddle the front axle, said members beingprovided on their opposed inner faces with recesses having centrallydisposed laterally extending nipples which fit in apertures in saiddepending arms and which operate to retain the casting from slidingdownward when the tractor rises, the lower ends of said castingmembersbeing provided with longitudinally extending slots, 21. trunnion pinmounted in said slots, a clutch lever, a cable connected with said leverand with said pin whereby a pull is exerted on the able on the rising ofthe front axle of the tractor and the clutch lever thereby released.

2. An attachment of the class described comprising two separatelyconnected sections to straddle the front axle of a tractor said sectionsbeing provided on their inner faces at their upper ends with laterallyextending arms abutting when applied, said arms having bores passingtherethrough to receive clamping bolts for securing the members inoperative position, and said sections being longitudinally slotted forthe passage therethrough of the trunnion pin which connects the axlewith the casting.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing: as my own, I have heretoaflixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE HENRY TRIFTSHAUSER.

Vitnesses G120. L. TRIFTsruUsnn, EDWIN C. KUBLER.

